"Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord? You can't marginalize these people."

-- Pope Francis, speaking yesterday aboard the papal plane on his way back to Vatican City from World Youth Day. The pope was responding to a question from a reporter, who asked him what he would do if he learned that a priest in his ranks was gay but celibate.

Don't expect Francis to be flying a rainbow flag anytime soon -- remember, this is the guy who thinks marriages like mine are the work of Satan and an "anthropological throwback" -- but considering that his predecessor, Benedict XVI, wanted to block "deep-seated" gay men from the priesthood entirely, this is a step in the right direction. (Wonder how long it'll take for the Vatican to walk this one back?)

Sadly, this is what passes for progress in the 21st-century Catholic Church.

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